Second shark incident reported in brown water off Maui

KAHULUI, MAUI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Officials are urging beachgoers to avoid murky water following the second shark interaction on Maui in as many days.

Monday morning, DLNR Maui Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officers responded to a report of a shark interaction in Kahului Harbor.

A 58-year-old man reports he was on a stand up paddle board when he felt a hard bump on the back of his board, knocking him into the water. After he surfaced he observed a dorsal fin about six feet away. He was not able to identify the species of shark and it quickly disappeared. He estimates the fin was 12 inches tall.

A witness, also on a paddle board, also saw the fin. An inspection of the board indicated bite marks.

This past Saturday, a surfer in murky water in Maalaea Harbor on Maui shoved his surf board into a shark's mouth to fend it off. In both cases the waters were brown from storm runoff.

Shark Attack Protocols have been initiated and DOCARE and the Department of Transportation-Harbors Division have closed the Kahului Harbor waters as well as waters in one mile in each direction of the harbor. These waters will remain closed until at least Tuesday, when an assessment will be made to re-open.